Chris Transport eventually became Canadian Freightways after Mikkelsen got involved in interlining freight from Consolidated Freight Lines in the U.S. to points in Alberta.
But in the 1950's the Canadian arm was falling behind on paying the U.S. carrier's freight charges, and was swallowed up as a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated. The next eight years were rough, as the company went through a different GM or president every 18 months.
In 1965, Consolidated sent one of their division managers, Len Huyser, north and gave him three options: Sell the Canadian operation; shut it down if he couldn't pawn it off; or fix it. He chose door number three, and long story short, 20 years later Canadian Freightways had grown into a leading Western LTL carrier with several terminals and an impressive balance sheet.
Meanwhile, watching the company's turnaround from a terminal in Vancouver during those years was a young part-time billing clerk who was putting himself through school.
He must have liked what he was learning at CF, because Darshan Kailly stuck around, working his way up to rate clerk and to traveling auditor. He was promoted to controller before being named treasurer, and then vice-president. He took over as president when Huyser retired in the early '80s. Talk about baptism by fire. Shortly after taking the reigns, the Trudeaupian National Energy Program devastated Alberta's economy and with it, regional trucking rates. But as it had done many times before, CF persevered. Under Kailly's direction, the company capitalized on deregulation; and later under NAFTA, it evolved into a robust cross-border hauler with solid north-south lanes.
Undoubtedly, Kailly is today regarded as one of the higher profile figures in Canadian trucking. He has a commanding presence at provincial and national trucking association meetings, adding his two cents on just about any issue -- from controversial hours-of-service rules, speed limiters (which he supports), to environmental issues, to his steadfast support for regional truck driver rodeos.
Some of those who don't know him might consider him intimidating. Maybe even some of those that do.
"So what'd ya want? We're busy here," are his first words to this scribe after an introductory handshake. True to (perceived) form? Not really. Turns out he's a joker, too.
If you work for CF, then Darshan likely knows you. Preferring to be seen and heard, he isn't one of those bosses who directs from behind the curtains of the corner office. He's a fixture at driver meetings and personally hands out employee awards and accolades.
As former CF safety advisor Dennis Pettit once told this magazine, "It's one thing to have safety policies written somewhere, and quite another to have the president of the company stand up in meetings and tell the drivers how important they are. It's important for the president to reinforce his support. And ours does."
BREAKING NEW GROUND
These days Calgary's skyline is dotted with as many building cranes as actual standing structures. Inspired by a well-documented energy industry boom, Alberta is in true economic renaissance.
It wasn't long after acquiring CF that TransForce joined the black gold rush, using its new western holding to scout oil and gas service fleets in the burgeoning Ft. McMurray area.
Over the last couple of years, the Quebec trucking giant has bought about half a dozen such haulers -- all reporting to Kailly in Calgary. However, with demand and costs rapidly outpacing supply and infrastructure, the trick in Cowtown these days, it seems, is not getting left behind.
The company ensures it'll be staying ahead of the curve this summer with the opening of a brand new, 30,000-sq-ft corporate office and 48,000-sq-ft cross-dock facility in southwest Calgary. With delivery appointments being the scourge of the trucking industry -- especially in LTL -- location has never been as important in these parts as it is today.
The new 62-door site is located near Calgary's upcoming ring road and a major CN intermodal terminal. Real estate is going fast in the district as many businesses are relocating. "The growth there for commercial business and warehousing is just incredible," says Kailly. "We're in a good position for LTL growth in the next five years."
The facility, which would double CF's current freight-handling capacity, features the latest security and loading technology, such as hydraulic dock lifts.
"We needed the new facility just to maintain our ability to keep up with all the business," Kailly says. "The Alberta economy is moving very well and we thought this is what we needed to maintain our leadership position." There's few who would argue, competitors included, that CF -- and Kailly in particular -- exemplify leadership.
Recently, at the Alberta Motor Transport Association annual meeting in Banff, Kailly joined fellow pioneers Guy Blasetti of BigHorn Transport and Don Bietz of Economy Carriers in accepting the prestigious American Truck Historical Society Award, which was formed to preserve the history of trucks, the trucking industry, and its pioneers.
Kailly believes his standing in the industry is tied to the visibility he exhibits among customers and employees. "Being out there, talking to people, keeps them informed. It makes you trusted.
"You don't necessarily need to be loved in this business. But you need to be fair. And when you're fair, you're respected."
